(HILO, Hawai'i) Three second-half goals less than eight minutes apart lifted PLNU Women's Soccer to a 3-0 road victory at No. 5 Hawai'i Hilo, as the Sea Lions handed the previously unbeaten Vulcans their first loss of the season.
"Hilo is a great team and we knew it would be tough to go on the road and play them third," Kiely said of her team's final game in its Hawai'I trip. "I'm very proud of our backs and goalkeeper today. I thought they were fantastic."
After a scoreless first half,
Mara Sovde opened the scoring for Point Loma in the 65th minute with a powerful header off a floated
Grace Nelson corner kick.
Nelson then turned from provider to goal scorer, doubling the Sea Lions' lead with a swerving shot from distance in the 68th.
Five minutes later,
Zoe Crockett rounded out the scoring.
Olivia Shaw lofted a ball into the box, which the Vulcans goalkeeper spilled and
Jillian Tubbs redirected into the path of Crockett to pass into the back of the net.
"We had good momentum, some good looks at goal and we felt it coming," Kiely said, as PLNU outshot the hosts 12-8 overall and 9-4 in the second half. "I'm proud of Mara to get us going in that way."
The victory is an important one for the Sea Lions, who strengthened their resume for an at-large bid into the NCAA West Regional with a win against the fifth-ranked team in the United Soccer Coaches Poll.
"It was a very big win for us for a few reasons but the biggest is that it helps us get one more step closer to the postseason," Kiely said. "We will be taking each game at a time but this sets us up very well."
Julia Pinnell made two saves in goal, as PLNU kept its sixth shutout of the season.
Point Loma (8-3-1 overall, 4-2 PacWest) now returns home for three-straight games, beginning on Oct. 30 against Dominican at 3:30 p.m.
